Slub catcher



May 5, 1931. J. o. McKEAN SLUB GATCHER Filed June 13, 1950 INVENTOR KWBY ATTORNEYS 50 tion;

Patented May 5, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN O. MCKEAN, OFWESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO FOSTER MACHINE COMPANY, OFWESTFIELD, MASSACIIUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS SLUB CATCHERApplication filed .Tune 18,

The object of my invention is to provide certain improvements in theconstruction, form and arrangement of the several parts whereby thee-fliciency of the slub catcher is materially increased.

One feature of my invention is the provision of a yarn plate having alongitudinally tapered incoming yarn guiding groove, which groove exertsa concentrating or bunching action on the slubs. Another feature is theprovision of a slub engaging member comprising a blade arrangeddiagonally across the yarn plate and consequently at an angle to the runof the yarn for ensuring a shearing off and self cleaning action of theblade with respect to the yarn slub. Another feature is the provision ofa swinging downwardly and forwardly inclined blade yieldingly heldagainst a yielding front stop whereby the blade and the front stop maybe swung upwardly a sufficient distance to permit the ready clearingaway of any accumulated waste. Another feature is the adjustability ofthe yielding front stop wherebv the normal space between the free edgeof the blade and the yarn plate may be accurately adjusted for yarns ofdifferent sizes.

Other features of my invention are the adj ustability of the slubengaging member bodbackward swinging movement of the memher, due to itsengagement by the slub, will be limited before the cutting edge of. themember contacts with the yarn plate. Still another feature is theremovability of the yarn plate whereby the plate may be readily replacedwhen so desired and whereby the bracket may be cast of a less expensiveand softer metal than the yarn plate.

Practical embodiments of my inventlon are represented in theaccompanying draw ings, in which Fig. 1 represents my improved slubcatcher in top plan;

Fig. 2 represents the same 1n s1de eleva- 1930. Serial No. 460,910.

Fig. 3 represents the slub catcherin rear elevation; i Fig. 4 representsa detail front view of the slub engaging member and its adjacent parts;

Fig. 5 represents a detail cross sectional View, taken in the plane ofthe line VV of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 6 represents a detail section taken in the plane of the line VI-VIof Fig 3;

Fig. 7 represents a detail plan View of a sli htly modified form of yarnplate;

ig. 8 represents a section taken in the plane of the line VIII-VIII ofFig. 7, looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 9 represents a section taken in the plane of the line IX-IX of Fig.7, looking in the direction of the arrows.

My improved slub catcher is herein shown as a bracket which may be ofcast metal, said bracket comprising an integral resilient yoke havingupper and lower horizontally disposed branches 1 and 2. The lower branch2 is shown as having a transverse hole 3 therethrough for the receptionof a bracket supporting bar 4:, a set screw 5 being provided forclamping the bracket to the said bar.

This lower yoke branch 2 is provided with a lateral extension 6 in thefront end of which is removably seated, by means of screws 7 and 8, adownwardly and rearwardly inclined yarn plate 9 having in its facealined incoming and outgoing grooves. The inclination of the plate willcause the yarn to be immediately drawn into its grooves as it passesthrough the slub catcher. In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusivethe incoming groove 10 is shown as'V-shape in cross section while inFigs. 7 and 9 the incoming groove 10* is shown as having parallel sidewalls and a longitudinally inclined bottom wall. In both forms theoutgoing groove 11 is shown as V-shape in cross section.

The diagonally disposed slub engaging member, herein shown as a blade 17which is normally inclined downwardly and forwardly, is rotatablymounted on this pivot bar 16 to swing rearwardly toward and forwardlyaway from the yarn plate 9. In the present instance this pivotalconnection is provided by means of spaced lugs 18 and 19 uprising Ifrog:the blade and rotatably mounted on said A pin 20 which projectslaterally from the uprising post 15 serves as a back stop for limitinthe rearward movement of the slub engagmg blade 17 just before itscutting edge contacts with the yarn plate 9.

A yielding front sto 21 is provided for the slub engaging blade 1 whichfront stop in the present instance is provided with a lateral arm 22which normally engages the blade for yieldingly limiting its forwardswinging movement. The hub 23 of this yielding front sto is rotatablymounted on the lateral bar 16 tween the post 15 and the blade 17. The

osition of the yielding front stop 21 is adustable to limit the normalforward movement of the slub engaging blade by providing the front stopwith a lug 24 which carries an adjusting screw 25, the inner end ofwhich bears against the post 15. A coil spring 26 connects the post 15with the front stop 21 and serves to yieldingly hold the front stop atthe limit of its rearward movement. The extension movement of thisspring 26 is sufficient to permit both the front stop and the blade tobe swung forwardly and upwardly a considerable distance away from theyarn plate for permitting the ready clearing away of any accumulatedwaste without disturbing the setting of the blade.

The slub engaging blade 17 is yieldingly held against the lateral arm 22of the yielding front stop 21 and normally spaced the desired distancefrom the face of the yarn plate 9 for yarns of difierent sizes, by meansof a spring 27 which is coiled around the lateral bar 16, one end ofwhich spring is secured to the blade and the other end to an adjustingsleeve 28, rotatably mounted on the bar 16 between the lugs 18 and 19 ofthe blade. This adjusting sleeve may be removably secured, by a cotterpin 29, to the bar 16 in any of the rotative 'adjustments of the sleevefor increasing and decreasing the tension of the spring. The tension ofthis spring 27 is intended to be suflicient to swing the blade to notonly normally hold the blade against the yielding stop 27 but also topermit the blade to be swung forwardly and upwardly out of the way, withthe ielding stop when so desired.

T 1e means which I have shown-for bodily adjusting the blade toward andaway from the face of the yarn plate 9 to cause the cutting edge of theblade to just escape contact with the face of the plate when the bladeis swung rearwardly into engagement with the back stop 20, comprises anadjusting screw 30, the shank of which passes through the upper branch 1into engagement with the lower branch 2 of the yoke whereby the branchesof the yoke may be forced out of their normal relationship to raise andlower the said blade. In the modified form shown in Figs. 7 and 8 theface of the plate has a shallow recess-for allowing the loose knits thatcome in the am to free themselves more easily and quick y.

From the above description it will be seen that means are not onlyprovided for bodily adjusting the blade toward and away from its yarnplate but also that the limit of the normal forward position of theblade may also be readily adjusted .by means of the adjustability of theyieldin front stop to suit yarns of different sizes. It will also beseen that by mounting the blade diagonally with respect to the run ofthe yarn across the yarn plate, a shearing off action may be obtained onthe slub. Other advantages hereinbefore pointed out are also obtained bythe novel construction of the slub catcher.

It is evident that various changes may be resorted to in theconstruction, form and arrangement of the several parts withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence'I do notintend to be limited to the particular embodiments herein shown anddescribed, but what I claim is 1. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate, and aslub engaging member disposed diagonally across the plate in a planeoblique to the plane of yarn travel.

2. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate having an incoming groove taperedlongitudinally in a vertical plane to form parallel sides and aninclined bottom, and a slub engaging member disposed diagonally acrossthe plate in a plane oblique to the plane of the yarn travel.

- 3. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate having a longitudinally taperedincoming groove and a slub engaging member disposed diagonally acrossthe plate in a plane oblique to the plane of yarn travel.

4. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate having alined incoming and outgoinggrooves, the incoming groove being longitudinally tapered, and a slubengaging member disposed diagonally across the plate in a plane obliqueto the plane of yarn travel.

5. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate, a swingin slub engaging memberdisposed diago na' ly across the plate in a plane oblique to the planeof the yarn-travel, a front stop, and means for yieldingly holding themember against the front stop.

6. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate, a swinging slub engaging memberdisposed diagonally across the plate in a plane oblique to the plane ofthe yarn travel, a front stop, means for yieldingly holding the memberagainst the front stop and means for adjusting the position of the frontstop and thereby the member.

7. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate, a swin ing slub engaging member, afront stop yieldable by manual manipulation of said member, and meansfor yieldingly holding the member against the front stop.

8. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate, a swingin slub engagin memberdisposed diagonally across the p ate in a 1plane oblique to the plane ofthe yarn trave a ieldin front stop, and means for yiel ing y holding themember against the front stop.

9. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate, a swinging slub engaging member, afront stop, yieldable by manual manipulation of said member means foryieldingly holding the member against the front stop, and means foradjusting the normal position of the front stop and thereby the member.

10. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate, a swingslub engaging memberdisposed diagoin naIly across the plate in a plane oblique to the planeof the yarn travel, a yielding front stop, means for yieldingly holdingthe member against the front sto and means for adjusting the normalposition of the front stop and thereby the member.

11. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate, a swingin slub engaging memberdisposed diagona lly across the plate in a plane oblique to the plane ofthe yarn travel, front and back stops, and means for yieldingly holdingthe member against the front stop.

12. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate, a swinging slub engaging memberdisposed diagonally across the plate in a plane oblique to the plane ofthe yarn travel, front and back stops, means for yieldingly holding themember against the front stop, and means for adjusting the normalposition of the front stop and thereby the member.

13. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate, a swinging slub engagin member, aback stop, a front stop yieldab e by manual manipulation of said member,and means for yieldingly holding the member against the front stop.

14. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate, a swinging slub engaging memberdisposed diagonally across the plate in a plane oblique to the plane ofthe yarn travel, a back stop, a yielding front stop, and means foryieldingly holding the member against the front stop.

15. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate, a swinging slub engaging member, aback stop, a front stop yieldable by manual manipulation of said member,means for yieldingly holding the member against the front stop, and

.means for adjusting the normal position of the front stop and therebythe member.

16. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate, a swinging slub engaging memberdisposed diagonally across the plate in a plane oblique to the lane ofthe yarn travel, a back stop, a yiel ing front stop, means foryieldingly holding the member against the front stop, and means foradjusting the normal position of the front stop and thereby the member.

17. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate, a swinging slub engaging memberyieldingly held at the limit of its forward movement, means foradjusting the member bodily toward and away from the yarn plate, andmeans for adjusting the normal forward position of the member. a

18. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate, a swin ing slub engaging memberyleldingly heI d at the limit of its forward movement, means foradjusting the member bodily toward and awa from the yarn plate, andmeans for adjusting the normal forward position of the member, saidmember being disposed diagonally across the plate in a )lane oblique tothe plane of the yarn travel.

19. In a slub catcher, a downwardly and rearwardly inclined yarn plate,and a downwardly and forwardly inclined swinging slub engaging memberyieldingly held at the limit of its forward movement, said member beingdisposed diagonally across the plate in a plane oblique to the plane ofthe yarn travel. 20. In a slub catcher, a downwardly and rearwardlyinclined yarn plate having a longitudinally tapered incoming groove, anda downwardly and forwardly inclined swinging slub engaging memberyieldingly held at the limit of its forward movement, said member beingdisposed diagonally across the plate in a plane oblique to the plane ofthe yarn travel.

21. I11 a slub catcher, a yarn plate, a swinging slub engaging member, afront stop therefor yieldingly held at the limit of its rearwardmovement, means for yieldingly holding the member at the normal limit ofits forward movement against the front stop, and a back stop forlimiting the rearward movement of the member.

22. In a slub catcher, a yarn plate, a swinging slub engaging member, afront stop therefor yieldingly held at the limit of its rearwardmovement, means for yieldingly holding the member at the normal limit ofits forward movement against the front stop, and a back stop forlimiting the rearward movement of the member, said member being disposeddiagonally across the plate.

23. In a slub catcher, a bracket, a yarn plate, a laterally disposedpivot bar, a slub engaging member and an adjustable front stop therefor,both mounted to swing on said bar, means ieldingly holding the memberagainst the ront stop, and means yieldingly holding the front stop inits adjusted position.

24. In a slub catcher, a bracket, a downwardly and rearwardly inclinedyarn plate, a laterally disposed downwardly and rearwardly inclinedpivot bar, a slub engaging member and an adjustable front stop therefor,both mounted to swing on said bar, means yieldingly holding the memberagainst the front stop, and means yieldingly holding the front stop inits adjusted position.

25. In a slub catcher, a resilient yoke having horizontally disposedlower and upper branches, a yarn plate carried by the lower branch, apost uprising from the upper branch, a pivot bar projecting laterallyfrom said post, a slub enga 'ng member and an adjustable front stop terefor, both mounted to swing on said her, means yieldingly holding themember against the front stop, and means yieldingly holding the frontstop in its adjusted posit-ion.

26. In a slub catcher, a resilient yoke having horizontally disposedlower and upper 10 branches, a yarn plate carried by the lower branch, apost uprising from the u per branch, a pivot bar projecting laterallyrom said post, a slub enga ing member and an adjustable front stopgierefor, both mounted to swing on said bar, means ieldingly holding themember against the ront stop,

means yieldingly holding the front stop in its ad usted position, andmeans engaging the yo e branches for adjusting the member to- 23 wardand away from the yarn plate.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name this 24th day ofMay, 1930.

. JOHN O. MCKEAN.

